62 
POPULAE SCIENCE NEWS. 
[April, 1S90. 
'Tis probable phvsick, as well as religion, was in 
the first ages chiefly traditional, every father deliver- 
ing down to his sons what he himself" in like man- 
ner received concerning the manner of healing, both 
outward hnrts, with the diseases incident to each 
climate, and the medicines which were of the great- 
est efficacy for the cure of each disorder. 'Tis 
certain this is the method wherein the art of healing 
is preserved among the Americans to this day. 
Their diseases are exceedingly few; nor do they 
often occur, by reason of their continual exercise 
and (till of late, universal) temperance. But if 
any are sick, or bit by a serpent, or torn by a wild 
beast, the fathers immediately tell their children 
what to apply. And 'tis rare that the patient suf- 
fers long, those medicines being quick, as well as, 
generally, infallible. 
Thus far physick was wholly founded on experi- 
ment. The European! as well as the American, 
said to his neighbor: "Are you sick? Drink the 
juice of this herb, and your sickness will be at an 
end." "Are you in a burning heat.' Leap into 
that river, and then sweat till you are well." " Has 
the snake bitten you.' Chew and apply that root, 
and the poison will not hurt you." Thus antient 
men, having a little experience, joined with com- 
mon sense and common humanity, cured both 
themselves and their neighbors of most of the dis- 
tempers, to which every nation was subject. 
But, in process of time, men of a philosophical 
turn were not satisfied with this. They began to 
enquire how they might account for these things. 
How such medicines wrought such effects. They 
examined the human body in all its parts. They 
explored the several kinds of animal and mineral as 
well as vegetable substances. And hence the whole 
order of physick which was obtained to that time, 
came generally to be inverted. As theories in- 
creased, simple medicines were more and more 
disregarded and disused, till, in the course of years, 
the greater part of them were forgotten — at least in 
the politer nations. In the rooin of these, abund- 
ance of new ones were introduced by reasoning, 
speculative men ; and those more and more difficult 
to be applied, as being more remote from common 
observation. Hence, rules for the application of 
these, and medical books were immediately multi- 
plied; till, at length, physick became an abstruse 
science, quite out of the reach of ordinary men. 
Physicians now began to be had in admiration, as 
persons who were something more than human. 
And profit attended their employ as well as honour; 
so that they had now two weighty reasons for keep- 
ing the bulk of mankind at a distance, that they 
might not pry into the mysteries of the profession. 
To this end, they increased those difficulties by 
design, which began in a manner by accident. 
Thev filled their writings with abundance of tech- 
nical terms, utterly unintelligible to plain me. 
As to the manner of using the medicines herein 
set down, I should advise, as soon as you know 
your distemper, (which is very eaey, unless in a 
complication of disorders, and then you would do 
well to apply to a physician that fears God) : First, 
use the first of the remedies for that disease which 
occurs in the ensuing collection, (unless some other 
of them be easier to be had, and then it may do just 
as well.) Secondly, after a competent time, if it 
takes no effect, use the second, the third, and so on. 
(I have purposely set down, in most cases, several 
remedies for each disorder; not only becauee all are 
not equally easy to be procured at all times and in 
all places, but likewise because the medicine which 
cures one man will not always cure another of the 
same distemper, — nor will it cure the same man at 
all times.) Thirdly, observe all the time the great- 
est exactness in your regimen, or manner of living. 
Abstain from all mixt or high season'd food. Use 
plain diet, easy of digestion, and this as sparingly 
as you can, consistent with ease and strength. 
Drink only water, if it agrees with your stomach ; 
if not, good, clear, small beer. Use as much exer- 
cise daily in the open air as you can without weari- 
ness. Sup at six or seven on the lightest food; go 
to bed early, and rise betimes. Above all, add to 
the rest (for it is not labor lost) that old, unfashion- 
able medicine. Prayer. And have faith in God, 
who " killeth and maketh alive, who bringeth down 
to the grave and.bringeth up." 
A TEW PLAIN RULES. 
Tender people should have those who lie with 
them, or are much about them, sound, sweet, and 
healthy. 
Water is the wholesomest of all drinks ; quickens 
the appetite and strengthens the digestion most. 
Strong, and more especially spirituous liquors, 
are a certain though slow poison. 
Experience shows, there is very seldom any dan- 
ger in leaving them off all at once. 
Strong liquors do not prevent the mischiefs of a 
surfeit, nor carry it oft' so safely as water. 
Malt liquors (except clear, small beer, of a due 
age) are exceeding hurtful to tender persons. 
Coffee and tea are extremsly hurtful to persons 
who have tender nerves. 
A due degree of e.xercise is indispensably neces- 
sary to health and long life. 
We may strengthen any weak part of the body by 
constant exercise. Thus the lungs may be strength- 
ened by loud speaking, or walking up an easy ascent ; 
the digestion and the nerves, by riding; the arms 
and hams, by strongly rubbing them daily. 
The studious ought to have stated times lor exer- 
cise, at least two or three hours a day; the one half 
of this before dinner, the other half before going to 
bed. 
They should frequently shave, and -frequently 
wash their feet. 
Those who read or write much, should learn to 
do it standing; otherwise it will impair their health. 
The fewer clothes anyone uses, by day or night, 
the hardier will he be. 
Obstructed perspiration (vulgarly called catching 
cold) is one great source of diseases. Whenever 
there appears the least sign of this, let it be removed 
by gentle sweats. 
The passions have a greater influence on health 
than most people are aware of. 
All violent and sudden passions dispose to or 
actually throw people into acute diseases. 
The slow and lasting passions, such as grief and 
hopeless love, bring on chronical diseases. 
Till the passion which caused the disease is 
calm'd, medicine is applied in vain. 
The love of God, as it is the sovereign remedy of 
all miseries, so in particular it effectually prevents 
all the bodily disorders the passions introduce, by 
keeping the passions themselves within bounds. 
And by the unspeakable joy and perfect calm, 
serenity, and tranquillity it gives the mind, it be- 
comes the most powerful of all the means of health 
and long life. « 
A COLLECTION OF RECKIPTS FOR CURING COMMON 
DISEASES. 
For an Ague. — Go into the cold Bath just before 
the Cold Fit. Or, apply sliced Roots of Water 
Lilies ; — tried. Or, eat a Lemon, Rind and all. 
A Tertian Ague. (An Ague which returns every 
other Day.) — Apply to each Wrist a Plaister of 
Treacle and soot. Or, Bathe twice or thrice a 
Week at least, till you have bathed nine or ten 
Times. 
The Apoplexy. — To prevent, use the Cold Bath, 
and drink only Water. Or, put a Handful of 
Salt into a Pint of cold Water, and, if possi- 
ble, pour it down the Throat of the Patient. He 
will immediately come to himself. So will one who 
seems dead by a Fall. Or, fill the Mouth with Salt. 
The Asthma. — Take a Pint of cold Water every 
Night as you lie down in Bed. Or, drink Sea 
Water every Morning. Or, dry and powder a Toad. 
Make it into small Pills, and take one every Hour 
till the Convulsions cease. 
Bleeding at the Nose. — Hold a red-hot Poker 
under the Nose. Or, in a violent Case, go into a 
Pond or River; — tried. 
Blisters on the Feet. — When occasioned by walk- 
ing, are cured by drawing a Needle full of Worsted 
thro' them. Clip it ofl" at both ends, and leave it 
till the Skin peels oft". 
Children. — To prevent the Rickets, Tenderness, 
and Weakness, dip them in cold Water every Morn- 
ing, till they are eight or nine Months old; after- 
wards their Hands and Feet. Or, let them go 
bare-footed and bare-headed, till they are three or 
four years old at least. 
Colic. — Drink a Pint of cold Water; — tried. Or, 
a Qiiart of warm Water ; —tried. 
A Consumption. — Cold Bathing has cured many 
deep Consumptions; — tried. Or, every Morning 
cut up a little Turf or fresh Earth, and lying down, 
breathe into the Hole lor a Qi^iarter of an Hour. 
Or, in the last Stage, take the Milk of an healthy 
woman daily; — tried by my Father. So long as the 
tickling Cough continues, chew well and swallow a 
Mouthful or two of a Biscuit or Crust of Bread. ]f 
you cannot swallow it, spit it out. This will always 
shorten the Fit, and would often prevent a Con- 
sumption. ' 
An Inveterate Cough. — Wash the Head in cold 
Water every Morning. Or, use the cold Bath; it 
seldom fails. 
The Cramp. — Tie your Garter smooth and tight 
under your Knee at going to Bed ; I never knew 
this to fail. Or, be electrified thro' the Part which 
uses to be affected. This sometimes prevents it for 
a Month; sometimes a Twelvemonth. Or, stretch 
out the. Limb immediately. Or, hold a Roll of 
Brimstone in your Hand. 
Deafness. — Be electrified through the Ear. Or, 
use the cold Bath. Or, put a little Salt into the 
Ear. Or, saltpetre. 
Drowned. — Rub the Trunk of the Body all over 
with Salt. It frequently recovers them that seem 
dead. 
A Blood-shot Eye. — Blow in white Sugar-candy, 
finely powdered. 
Dull Sight. — Drop in two or three Drops of Juice 
of rotten Apples often. 
A Fever. — Drink a Pint and half of cold Water, 
lying down in Bed; I never knew it to do Hurt. 
Or, smear the Wrists, five or six Inches long, with 
warm Treacle, and cover it with brown Paper. Or, 
apply Treacle Plaisters to tlie Soles of the Feet, 
changing them ever^' twelve Hours. Or, in a high - 
Fever attended with a Delirium, plunge into cold 
Water, which is a«sure Remedy in the beginning of 
any Fever. Or, apply warm Lamb's Lungs to the 
top of the Head. 
To destroy Fleas or Bugs. — Cover tlie Floor with 
the Leaves of the Alder, gathered while the Dew 
hangs upon them. Adhering to the.sc they are 
killed th_ereby. 
Gout in the Foot or Hand. — Apply a raw, lean 
Beef-stake. Change it once in twelve Hours till 
cured. The very Matter of the Gout is surely de- 
stroyed by a steady use of Mynsicht's Elixir of 
Vitriol. 
The Head-ach. — Rub the Head for a Q^iarter of 
an Hour; — tried. Or, be electrified; — tried. Or, 
